The Monster Rookie's Debut

The locker room after the game.

Outside, the heat still hadn't died down — the cheers and roars of the lingering crowd echoed on and on.

Inside the locker room, things were no calmer.

"Jaehyuk, you absolute monster!"

"Hahaha!! The greatest freshman in college football, ladies and gentlemen!!"

Players soaked in sweat from the game they'd just finished, savoring every drop of the victory.

Trevor Johnson, the team captain and center, seized Jaehyuk with his massive frame. Then, together with the other players, he grabbed hold of the fleeing Jaehyuk and hoisted him into the air.

"Put me down, you lunatics."

"WOOOOOO!! REDLINE!! RED! LINE!"

"BWAAHAHAHA!!"

"KYAAA!!"

The locker-room toss went on and on. Even with Jaehyuk swinging dangerously close to the ceiling, the coaching staff merely watched and laughed.

"Son of a— drop me and you're dead!"

"KHAAHAHAHA!"

His reaction only fired the players up more. They circled around filming videos on their phones, milking the moment for all it was worth.

Back when Jaehyuk had first joined the team, these same players had regarded him with doubtful, measuring eyes. But today, he had buried every last one of those doubts with his performance alone, and was being accepted as a true member of the team.

"That's enough."

DeBoer, who had been watching with a faint, indulgent smile, finally spoke, forcing his expression back into professional order. Only then did the tossing end.

Jaehyuk, barely lowered back to the floor, clicked his tongue and brushed himself off.

"Good work, everyone," DeBoer continued. "The player of the day is, obviously, Kim Jaehyuk. But a performance like that was only possible because every one of you came together as a single team."

Jaehyuk couldn't argue with that.

It had been his first taste of a college regular-season game, and the level of play was incomparably higher than anything from his high school days. The strategic and tactical depth especially was enough to make him think that anyone without a sharp mind simply wouldn't survive here.

Fortunately, all Jaehyuk had to do was move exactly as instructed — the strategic heavy lifting was mostly handled for him by his teammates.

"Congratulations on the opening-game victory. But remember this — it's only the beginning. There's far more we have to show."

Twelve games in total.

And that wasn't even counting the playoffs.

They'd played just one of them. Just as DeBoer said, there was no room yet to let their guard down. Still, taking the first win in the season opener was about as sweet a start as anyone could ask for.

"Rest up tonight. War Room tomorrow morning."

""YESSIR!!"

The players' voices rang out, buzzing with energy. Just then, the media coordinator stepped into the locker room.

"Coach, the interview setup is ready."

When DeBoer stepped outside, the corridor was already packed shoulder to shoulder with reporters, without an inch of space to spare. Camera flashes popped without pause, and the journalists craned their necks past the coaching staff, clearly hungry for a glimpse of the players.

"Coach Kalen DeBoer!!"

"A word about today's game, please!!"

DeBoer finally took his position for the interview and began delivering appropriately measured remarks.

"Today's game showed the true strength of Alabama. We've had two difficult years, but this season will be different."

"Are you admitting to two years of struggles?!"

"Everyone already knows it — what would denying it accomplish? But as I said, this year will be different."

DeBoer cleared his throat. Then he went on.

"I have devoted decades to this profession. And in that time, I have watched hundreds of players come through."

Click! Click! Click!

"But I have never — not once — seen a player like Kim Jaehyuk."

"Kim Jaehyuk! How did you manage to recruit Kim Jaehyuk?!"

"There are rumors that Alabama's head scout visited the state of Kansas every single week! Is that true?!"

"Today's game produced a historic record that will live forever in college football! And the man behind it is a pure East Asian athlete, Kim Jaehyuk — what are your thoughts on that?!"

The moment Jaehyuk's name came up, the reporters went into a frenzy. Facing the surge, DeBoer opened his mouth slowly.

"His movement is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠awe-inspiring. I'll say it again — no running back I have ever watched has moved the way he does."

"Specifically, what's different about him!"

"First, I have to start with his vision. His field of vision and instincts have surpassed the human level. It's like watching a beast."

Click! Click! Click!

Click! Click!

"Add to that his explosive acceleration and deceleration, his exceptional speed, and movement that deceives defenders at every turn. In every respect, he is the number one running back of this generation."

"Are you saying he's better than every college running back?!"

At one reporter's question, DeBoer looked straight at him — and then peeled a thin smile off his usual stone-faced expression.

"College? No. He has the talent to succeed in the NFL."

.

.

.

The ripple effect was on a completely different scale than high school. Out of all the opening games across the country, the articles flooding the feeds were overwhelmingly about Jaehyuk and Alabama alone.

Naturally, it was the hottest topic online and off, and at the very center of it all stood Jaehyuk.

ESFN's flagship program, SportsCenter.

Even there, the screen was plastered wall to wall with Jaehyuk's highlight reel.

"Ladies and gentlemen, a new star rose over the college football world last night! Alabama's rookie running back, Kim Jaehyuk! His debut was nothing short of historic! Five touchdowns, over 390 yards rushing! Those aren't just numbers — they delivered a seismic shock to college football fans everywhere!"

The anchor's voice trembled with excitement. On the screen, replays of Jaehyuk toying with UCLA's defenders on his way to the end zone rolled over and over in slow motion.

The final spin move that left the safety grasping at air drew particular praise — 'It's like watching a work of art!' — 'You won't find balance and agility like that even in the NFL!'

Meanwhile, Marcus and Luke were sprawled in the facility lounge, munching popcorn as they watched the broadcast.

"Kaaaah."

"Ha! Damn."

Jaehyuk's movements demanded admiration whether you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wanted to give it or not. They'd been stunned in the moment, but seeing it on screen somehow made it even more absurd.

"How does he move like that from there? Did he know the defenders weren't there?"

"Must have eyes in the back of his head."

Both of them had been subbed into this game as well, and each had put up a pretty solid showing.

And that was thanks to Jaehyuk, too.

Stats and records always came easier when the team was blowing the opponent out. All you had to do was play your part alongside Jaehyuk, and the numbers followed on their own.

Marcus in particular had flown a bit under the radar, but he'd hauled in roughly 120 receiving yards. A very respectable tally. Ryan Williams, who wasn't even present here, had also managed to claim two of the remaining touchdowns beyond Jaehyuk's five.

Munch munch.

Once the popcorn was gone, the two of them got up from their seats and drifted outside, where the campus was humming with energy.

"Did you see the game yesterday? Kim Jaehyuk was completely insane!"

"Of course I saw it! That spin move was pure art. Who knew a monster like that would come to our school!"

"Shouldn't we be shouting 'Roll Redline!' now instead of 'Roll Tide!'?"

Football talk everywhere you turned. Naturally — Alabama's students were football fanatics too.

"Oh! It's Luke and Marcus Thornton..."

"Man, they're so cool."

"What do those guys even lack? Girls, money, looks, talent — they've got it all."

Overhearing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the students, Luke grumbled, "Not girls."

"What, you don't have a girlfriend either?"

"...Wait. Marcus, you have a girlfriend?"

After each of them absorbed the other's shocking revelation, they launched into a heated debate — then carried on down the road.

Today was a promised day. Nothing special, just a team dinner out with the usual crew.

Marcus Thornton, Luke Metz, Isaiah Horton, and Jaehyuk. Those ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠four always hung out together — but today, Ryan and Jayden were included too.

"Look at them, scurrying to latch onto the man of the hour's coattails."

Luke snickered at the thought of Ryan and Jayden tagging along for the meal. Before he knew it, the two had arrived at a restaurant downtown in Tuscaloosa — and spotted the rest of the group already there.

In a completely unexpected scene.

"C-could I get an autograph—!"

"Can we take a photo together?!"

"Do you have a girlfriend, by any chance?"

The meeting spot was a sea of people. Luke stole a glance and saw Jaehyuk and Ryan busily signing autograph after autograph.

"Wow."

"I'm going inside ahead of you. Handle that and catch up."

"Hey, wait—!"

Marcus cut ties and bolted. Luke fidgeted for a moment, torn — then finally pushed through the crowd toward Jaehyuk and Ryan.

"Sorry, excuse me, sorry."

The deeper he went, the thicker the heat grew. The popularity was simply staggering.

"Oh! Luke!"

Ryan spotted him and greeted him with a bright grin. The crowd's attention flickered toward Luke for a moment — then tilted in confusion.

"Who's that?"

"Uh, you know. Linebacker."

"Ah, an Alabama player."

Excuse me? I played pretty well in the last game too, you know...

Luke felt a pang of wounded pride, but didn't let it show. "Senior, let's head in now. Marcus ditched us and ran into the restaurant already. Hey, Jaehyuk — you done too, right?"

"A little longer."

Jaehyuk, wearing a serious expression, was carefully signing each autograph, one by one.

For all his bravado, he was unexpectedly sincere about his fans.

"Hey, at this rate it'll take a thousand years!"

Hearing Luke's outburst, the crowd actually began to disperse on their own — a considerate gesture toward the players. And suddenly Jaehyuk looked oddly crestfallen at the fans who'd all vanished.

"Still, one game in and the popularity is unreal."

"Right?! I never saw it coming either! But I guess that's just how great our Jaehyuk's performance was! Hahaha."

Luke scratched his head at Ryan's ever-sunny smile. Before long, the two of them ushered the stragglers along and headed into the restaurant.

For the record, the place they were headed was run by Ryan's uncle. Countless Alabama players were already regulars there, which of course made it a frequent stop for football fans as well.

"Whoa, Horton and Jayden got here before us too!!"

"Yo!"

Luke sighed at the sight of the three already settled at the table. Soon all six of them were gathered, trading stories about the last game and the ones ahead.

"Nothing to even look forward to next game."

"Can't even remember where it was. Some kind of Bears, wasn't it?"

"Mercer Bears. FCS team."

Jaehyuk, who had been quietly eating, looked up. "FCS? Isn't that the second division?"

"Yeah. Think of it as Division 2, since the FBS we play in is Division 1. Still D1 either way, though."

NCAA Division 1 was split into FBS and FCS.

But the gap between them was stark. The scholarship differences alone were enormous, so in practice the FCS was treated as a second division — which was exactly why the players could relax.

"Week 3 is the real deal. Texas Longhorns."

"Whoa, chills. Just for a second. They've got an ace running back too, remember? CJ Baxter."

"Hey, Jaehyuk! You confident?!"

The guys were teasing him — but not a single one of them doubted him.

Jaehyuk would win.

That unshakable faith had been building steadily since his early enrollment, all the way through the last game.

"Obviously."

"Kuuuh, that's our guy!"

CJ Baxter, though?

Where have I heard that name before...

Despite having seen him back during the Nike shoe shoot, Jaehyuk was simply terrible with names.

Time passed, and Week 2 arrived.

Thwaack!

"Touchdown!"

Since this was a game against an FCS opponent, Alabama sent out its second stringers rather than the usual starting lineup. Unwilling as it was, Jaehyuk too sat this one out and watched from the bench.

Even so, the Crimson Tide crushed the opposition all the same.

Beep! Beep! Beeeeep—!

Final score: 36 to 7.

Alabama scooped up its second sweet win of the season.

But the players weren't loosening up in the slightest.

They already knew the real start would come next week.

Conference play.

The game against their fellow SEC member, the Texas Longhorns, was now right around the corner.